HORSES AND HOUNDS. 389 



solid masonry, was no extraordinary event ; — seven 

 feet has been achieved repeatedly — and there are still, 

 I have no doubt, many horses in the province capable 

 of performing the latter feat. But, alas ! this noted 

 class of hunters is now comparatively rare — a higher- 

 blooded, and, as all admit, an inferior caste, has been 

 substituted — the racing hunter fills the stables that 

 formerly were occupied by the old Roscommon weight- 

 carrier — and in a few years this celebrated and valuable 

 animal will be seldom seen. The number of English 

 thorough-bred horses introduced within the last thirty 

 years into the Connaught racing studs, gradually in- 

 troduced a slight and unserviceable hybrid — and, too 

 late, gentlemen discovered the error of endeavouring 

 to procure a cross, which should combine increased 

 speed with those durable qualities that alone can enable 

 a horse, under reasonable weight, to live with fast hounds 

 in a country where they can go for miles without a 

 check, and where the leaps are always severe, and 

 occasionally tremendous. 



Of the riders, it may be observed that, much as Con- 

 naught has been celebrated for desperate horsemanship, 

 no charge of degeneracy will lie against the present 

 race. To the curious in break-neck fencing, I would 

 recommend a sojourn with a Connaught club — or if 

 that should be inconvenient, a visit to the steeple-chases 

 on the plains or at Knockcroghery would be sufficient — 

 he will there see six feet walls especially built ** for the 

 nonce," under the inspection ot conscious stewards, 

 who would give nothing but honest measure, taken 

 at racing speed, and that too in the middle of a bunch 

 of gentlemen, who would ride over an adopted child ; — 

 or let him join a drag after a champagne lunch at Lord 



